Freighter aircraft transactions through the end of July

This year’s Farnborough Airshow featured seventy-three freighter orders and commitments, including five 747-8F orders from Volga-Dnepr Group and its UK-based affiliate, CargoLogicHolding.

Every week in Cargo Facts Update, we include a list of recent freighter aircraft transactions, and then a comprehensive summary in the monthly issue of Cargo Facts. Each reference to a freighter aircraft transaction (FAT) in our publications contains a unique FAT code linked to the FAT database on the CargoFacts.com website. This database is available to subscribers as an interactive tool on our website, and you can go to it from the “FAT Data” tab at the top of the home page, or directly at https://cargofacts.com/fat/

Below, we include the transactions from recent issues of Cargo Facts Update, and we encourage you to make use of the FAT database here on our website.

Volga-Dnepr orders 747-8Fs. Russia-based Volga-Dnepr Group and its UK-based affiliate CargoLogicHolding signed several agreements with Boeing at July’s Farnborough Airshow, including an order for five 747-8 freighters [FATs 004531-4535].

UPS took delivery of a 747-8F (64257) from Boeing [FAT 004604].

Atlas to dry lease a 747-400F (28026) from LCI once it comes off-lease from SkyLease Cargo [FATs 004499-4500].

China-based Uni-Top Airlines began ACMI-leasing a 747-400BDSF from Moldova-based Aerotrans Cargo on 19 July [FAT 004606]. The aircraft (27071) flies between Wuhan Tianhe Airport (WUH) and Liège Airport (LGG) via Turkmenbashi Airport (KRW) three times per week. Additional 747 freighters have long been in the works for Uni-Top, although until Aerotrans became involved, it remained a mystery from where the 747-4000Fs might originate. Sources close to the airline say that a second 747-400F will be added next month. In preparation for the new capacity, Uni-Top has been applying for new route authorities between China and Europe with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

DHL Express ordered fourteen 777Fs. DHL Express was the first company to pull the freighter trigger at Farnborough, with a firm order with Boeing for fourteen new 777 freighters, and options for delivery of up to seven additional 777Fs [FATs 004505-4525]. Delivery of the first four aircraft in the order is expected during 2019. The order is not expected to increase the express company’s overall capacity but will be used to replace older aircraft and some leased capacity.

Qatar Airways finalized an order for five 777Fs that were previously included as part of an LOI announced in April [FATs 004526-4530].

Volga-Dnepr signs LOI for 777Fs. Alongside the 747F order above, Volga-Dnepr Group and CargoLogicHolding signed a letter of intent at Farnborough to purchase twenty-nine 777 freighters [FATs 004536-4564].

FedEx took delivery of a 767-300F (62499) from Boeing [FAT 004608]. FedEx now operates sixty 767-300Fs and has sixty-six more on order.

LATAM Cargo put a 767 into conversion. The 767-300ER (34628) from LATAM’s passenger fleet was ferried to Abu Dhabi International (AUH) and will be transferred to Taipei (TPE) for conversion to BCF freighter configuration by Boeing at the EGAT facility [FAT 004501].

DHL Air leased a 767-300ERF (37808) to Tasman Cargo Airlines, which will in turn operate the freighter on behalf of DHL Express [FAT 004502]. The aircraft was ferried from East Midlands Airport (EMA) to Auckland Airport (AKL), from which Tasman Cargo operates five scheduled services per week between AKL and Sydney Airport (SYD).

Air Transport Services Group took redelivery of a 767-300BDSF (26995, ex-American Airlines) through its leasing arm, Cargo Aircraft Management, following conversion to freighter configuration by Bedek Aviation Group [FAT 004609].

Aviastar-TU took delivery of a 757-200PCF (25368, ex-United) [FAT 004503]. The aircraft was converted by Precision Aircraft Solutions to freighter configuration at the HAECO Americas facility in Greensboro, North Carolina, last year, and has been in storage since April 2017. The aircraft was ferried to Moscow DME Airport, where it will soon enter service with Aviastar-TU.

GECAS announced a firm order with Boeing for twenty additional 737-800BCF conversions and options for an additional fifteen [FATs 004565-4599].

Malaysia-based AsiaCargo Express is ACMI leasing a 737-300F (28567) from Indonesia-based Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines on a six-month contract, ch-aviation reported [FAT 004607]. According to FlightAware’s flight tracking software, the freighter has been operating in domestic service for Malaysia’s National Post between Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Kota Kinabalu (BKI), Kuching (KCH), and Miri (MYY) for AsiaCargo Express since 16 July.

Mexico-based Aeronaves TSM ordered four CRJ 200 passenger-to-freighter conversions from Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. [FATs 004600-4603]. The first aircraft included as part of this order will be inducted for conversion at the Commercial Jet Facility in Dothan in September, with redelivery scheduled for January 2019. Subsequent units will be inducted in March, July, and December of 2019.